sometimes

sometimes

it's not about the style or the dress.

 it's about the feeling you get once you put it on.

sometimes 

it's not the paycheck.

it's the payoff. 

sometimes 

it's not the look.

it's the confidence.

sometimes 

it's not the success.

it's the journey. 

sometimes

it's not about you.

it's about us. 

sometimes 

it's bigger than what you think. 

everyday we are given the chance

to make a difference, even ever so small.

and that may just make

 all the difference. 

run the world

such a great song, balances sex & power all in one. my kind of song (again) beyonce

run the world beyonce

things i've learned

it's been a couple weeks since the start of my internship and man, has it been a whirlwind. from doing nothing to having my days packed with work, it has certainly been an adjustment. yet, within these last weeks i've caught on to a lot at this warping speed. as perfect as the internship is, needless to say, it has toughened my skin up a little bit. but bit by bit, i am realizing more of what i want to do, which is a huge part of interning. 

looking into more details about the internship, for the past week or two i have been trained with copious amounts of information and done a lot of managerial work, including schedule making, floor watching and meetings... lots & lots of meetings! this next week will liven up a little, as the rest of the interns and i will be working for a fashion show, previewing all of the designer collections for the fall and meeting the vice president in charge of human resources for the company during a q&a. 

and as cool as that all sounds, the best part of this internship has to be my fellow interns. going into this,  one of my major concerns was that i would walk into a room full of competitive, stress prone, irritated "fashion bitches." but as it turns out they have been a great group and solid foundation to rely on when things get stressful. we all have such similar aspirations, it's no wonder we get along so well! it's a small group of us, which boggles my mind; that out of tons of applicants they only took about 12. i'm sure there is more to come about this adventure, as it is expected to my life for the next month & a half. 

until next time, xo

almost there

by this time next week, i will be starting my internship! since i returned home from the hectic life at school, i have gone from being excited to nervous to anxious all the way back to excited about this internship. at the very least, it will get me out of my house and doing something productive. 

i spoke with the manager of my assigned department today and found that this program may be worth more than i originally gave it credit for. i will be in cosmetics, which was surprising but nevertheless all the more exciting since that seems to be the one scope of this huge fashion industry i have never indulged in. when speaking with the manager, i spoke of my concerns related to the lack of experience i do have in applying make up, but she did not seem the least bit worried. i will mainly be learning the brands and shadowing her to get an idea of how managing a department works up until the anniversary sale. she did also give me the option to work in the skin & fragrance area of the department, but i am hopeful that i will learn a little bit of everything within the wonderful world of cosmetics! it's always something that has excited me, & know i will get the great opportunity of learning all about it. 

now of course, this by no means takes away from what i has been my passion since i was twelve as i plan to take careful notice of what's going on in the store, what people are buying, and what interests them as consumers not simply just within either cosmetics or apparel, but as a whole. it should be a learning experience indeed & one that doesn't seem to involve running around meaningless errands, which is something you don't find everyday interning in the fashion industry. 

on the edge

in celebration of the new lady gaga album coming out (not surprisingly already #1 on itunes), here is one of my most recent gaga faves. i love the rhythm of the song, surely one i will play over and over again this summer. i hope you all feel the same!

Lady Gaga - The Edge of Glory

why not

after a week of next to complete boredom, which included a daily routine of waking up at the crack of ten in the morning (just in time for kathie lee & hoda), heading to the gym, then returning to reorganize my closet led me to thinking that i need to put my energy somewhere where it matters. since i'm not planning on having much time to sew and design following the start of my internship, i wanted to give my new machine a whirl and start putting things together.  it could very well be a complete & utter disaster, but i have everything on my side... including nothing to do and a lot of time for whatever mistakes that come my way. 

to start off on gradually & since this is a new machine i have never used before (brother ls2250prw), i wanted to do something simple and similar to what i have done before. so considering my length of expertise runs as deep as the chances of the world ending today, my options are very few & far between. i recently made a long, gathered skirt with an elastic waistband and considering that the long peasant skirt is a hot item this summer, i immediately leaned towards it. 

{american apparel}

 {long pleated skirt, south moon under}

my goal is to eventually create a couple pieces by the end of the summer, which is mainly dependent on how well this project goes. so, here goes nothing! 

what about love

  it may be the news of what was seemingly one of the strongest couples in the public eye, arnold schwarzenegger and maria shriver, are "separated" or just the fact that i have watched way too many unrequited romance movies lately... but i have been down on my luck about "romance" or any of the like for quite some time. 

now, as i commonly tell my friends, my personal life is not one for the world to see and would never end up on this website; however, when i get down on love despite all these exciting things going on (which trust me, i am so incredibly thankful for!) it gives me a little warm feeling inside to see these famous couples, who i am sure have gone & go through it all, survive day by day. so although i may see them on the front page of us weekly the next day breaking the news of their split after years of marriage, i know that although breaking up goes through the pain, it teaches you something for the next go around, so when you do finally meet who or what was meant for you, it feels right and you know it is right... and isn't that the whole point of life after all? 

in homage to some of my favorite couples (some fictitious, of course)

                                               

{without the glitz & glam of paparazzi following their every move, these couples prove love lasts}

{i held my breath thinking reality show couples curse, but by the looks of it... they both seem on their game ready to handle whatever life brings as them. pun intended!}

{ahhh... love story. that is all!}

 {by far my favorite music couple, not only do they kill on stage both as a duet and solo, tim mcgraw and faith hill have some serious chemistry years after they've been married.}

{everyone needs a ross to their rachel}

{classic love story of my generation}

{they may be a little too much for some people, but it proves that as talented and professional as they are, they aren't afraid to let loose every so often!}

the end. <3

;)

can i quote myself?

be happy.

but be courageous too, because only true happiness & solidarity is found within the bravest people.

{5 things that make me happy}

an organized closet

(slowly but surely, I will get the motivation to get to this point!)

 laughter so deep it hurts

 summer blockbusters to look forward to 

walking silently,

my favorite kind of meditation

worker bee

it's that time of year again... as i headed up the long interstate drive, i made my trip home for the summer filled with an almost ground hogs day resemblance of plans for the next three months. however, this time won't be filled with leading around the world at camp or working late nights unpacking merchandise (well, possibly). this summer i landed a great internship, surely possible the only apparel-related internship on the east coast that is paid. and as excited as i am, i can't help but be a little anxious as this is so different from anything i have ever done before. it will i'm sure have it's challenges, but i am more than looking forward to learning from it & taking it any experience i can. 

with a change of pace & pattern, for nearly the first time i will be going to work without a strict dress code. no stuffy white button downs or uncomfortable bathing suits or awkwardly bright t-shirts (no offense to those who i am referring to!)... this time, i get to dabble with my own style. while realizing that this internship is still a job and i am still a professional, i know my limits, but i can't help but get a little excited. for the past couple weeks, i have done a little research and come up with these basic starts to what i plan to wear, enjoy! 

with a larger pear shaped body that i was born into, which has only gotten worse over the college years of beer and fried foods... i have not been a fan of shorts up until recently. but if they fit right and have a loose light feel, they may just be the best choice for a casual day at work. the one trick is to sure that they are a appropriate length. if you are having trouble deciding what that is, ask your mother or conservative friend (we all have at least one).

forever 21 oversized woven shirt, loose fitting shorts.

with a dress at work, you don't want to stand out so much that customers may be overwhelmed & perhaps a little intimidated... seems crazy but it can be true!

T Los Angeles Raglan Dress - South Moon Under

outfits shouldn't be too fuzzy, so avoid frills or ruffles at all costs. now is the time to try things on and see what is most comfortable because it's a guarantee you'll be doing some work in whatever you choose to wear. if you still want the drama, pick a bright color that is a for certain trend this season like 

the Leith Silk Habutai Blouse from Nordstrom seen here.

similarly to the above selection, color blocking is a great way to make a bold fashion statement versus an inappropriate statement of any other kind. it's simple and when you are in a rush to beat the traffic of work, it's an easy & effortless choice. diane von furstenberg "reara" color block dress.

when choosing accessories, do much like the main pieces & go simple. the more fussy it is, the more complicated it will look and the worse it may feel. you are going to want to be as confident as possible to show them what you've got this summer; let your outfit be a reason to set you above, not below the rest!  

stop. breathe. look & go.

with the summer quickly approaching, i can't help but think about how time has flown by. when i was little, i heard my mother say this all the time, typically around birthdays or holidays, but i never understood it until just about now. it's when i'm seeing my close friends graduate and not just move on to college, something i've always had a certain understanding with, but to the unfamiliar & cloudy "real" world that i am flagged with a rushed & tightened feeling in my chest.  

it isn't a feeling of excitement, but neither one of anxiousness either. it's a feeling that those words "stop and smell the roses" are ones i need to re-familiarize myself with for awhile, until life seems to slow down. because although meetings & class seem to take up a majority of our days, it doesn't mean that you can't take those 15 minutes to do something completely and utterly for yourself or, occasionally, for others. it may be hard to separate blackberry from mind, but i have been told it gives a great perspective on where your fast track is headed. 

so, as many of my friends put on their cap & gowns and i think to myself, that will be me in one year, i hope that i will eventually stop freezing at the thought and start enjoying what i have. since honestly, what is the use of worrying? in my opinion, it may be the most wasted source of energy and coming from someone who worries more than what's the norm, i try to remind myself every day. 

simple as that.

stop. breathe. look. and go. 

best of luck to grads, weds (including our most famous, katherine & wills!), and all the in between, because who doesn't need a good dash of luck

in closing, a youtube video from what is to surely be my favorite artist of the summer

Ray LaMontagne - You are the Best Thing

hidden gems

since i've written last, a lot has gone on. it's hard to pin point what exactly, from wine wednesdays to drives home to an (un)forgettable spring break featuring danny black, the lido deck and copious amounts of gourmet food & alcohol at my disposal. i don't want to back track from the beginning, but simply sum up what i have taken from my last months of this up and down year. 

friends will prove their friendship at one point or another. 

letting go is the hardest but often the best thing you can do for yourself. 

take in the moment, because it won't be the same tomorrow. 

and last, but not least, there's a plan out there for you.
 just trust it. 

and within all of these lessons is a bad day mixed with some good ones or sometimes laughter amongst a stressful moment. and at the very most, a good friend in the loneliest times. it's those hidden gems that seem to catch me when i least expect it & always surprise me to the point that i turn around and face reality. it's that amongst that seemingly terrible moment, that you are even more grateful for those people that turn it right around. 

when we have gems hidden in the dirt and mud, is when they shine the most. 

cruise line

in about one week, i will be road tripping down to florida for the typical college spring break. it is hard to believe that it's already time to pack the bags and hit up the sand, especially by the looks of my nearly albino-like skin... and my empty suitcase. 

this year i decided to cross off an item on my bucket list and scream "i'm on a boat!" while actually on a boat. plus, it's where i'll be joined at port with over 40 of my sorority sisters and my closest friends, so i consider it an opportunity i couldn't pass up. but there is one issue. i have not a clue what to wear. throughout the years, i've had vacations in new york, colorado, and obviously, a whole lot of beaches. but otherwise than a cruise trip turned horror story when i was eleven which i thankfully hardly remember, i have never been on a cruise. for the fear of being nagging, i have steered clear of asking my friends, but at the same time, i'm at a loss of direction. 

yet, after a little online research, i have found some direction... and added a few items to my packing list. 

1) long skirt

{a little bit of flow and flirt}

2) stripes, stripes, and more stripes

{playing up the nautical theme}

3) cocktail attire

                

{who said cocktail has rules?}

4) clog heels

{no reason... but they're shoes}

5) flippy floppys & a floppy hat

{sun protection, obviously}

6) oversized sunglasses

{yes, victoria beckham style}

7) color me up swimsuit

{looking at vs swim models makes me slightly depressed, but if the suit fits...}

8) suncreen

{i have had enough dermatologist appointments to last me a lifetime}

i hope if you were lost like myself, this list provides a little bit more direction! good luck & happy cruisin'!

the jersey shore effect

as i ventured home this weekend, so did my excitement for a weekend filled with my favorite activity, shopping. as cliche as that sounds, i can't deny how much i love the excitement of pretending i am styling for a magazine cover shoot when overwhelmed by overabundance of clothes within a department store. yet, as i surround myself with some of the most fashion forward, i also see myself gaping at what seems to be a new trend... and one i can hardly tolerate.

it was friday night, and as much i like to see young teenagers that take me back to my glory days (... scratch that, i hate the screeches and omgawd's that would make dogs bark), it also made me sick to my stomach to  find multiple girls dressed like they just walked out of seaside heights, new jersey. they are dressed head to toe in a full on snooki bump (hair clip included), revealing top and shorts that make me uncomfortable just looking at them. although i do remember my middle school days being filled with a little controversy over clothing, it might as well been school girl clothes compared to what i saw. maybe i've been under a rock being in southwestern virginia for the past three years, but has the teenage idolization really gotten to the point where life is starting to mimic art? 

don't get me wrong, the jersey shore is one of my all time favorite guilty pleasures. but love it or hate it, you know why it's popular... and it isn't because it's the classiest show in the world. yet, although paris hilton was the girl of the hour turning my hay day that didn't mean i wanted to dye my hair platinum blonde and wear skimpy clothes! the fact that young girls are wearing clothing that risque has just got me thrown. 

and it's not the clothes i matter, really. whatever you wear is what you wear, as far as i see it. but it's the meaning that gets thrown with it... especially from the opposite sex. trust me, i've been there and when you are wearing something that would be more appropriate for the beach versus the local mall, it's possible that guys begin to associate you with something much less than what you're worth. 

beyond my whole babbling, i want to set this message straight. clothes don't define the human being, but it can certainly leave an impression. and i know for a fact that those girls weren't the trash they looked like when walking through the store... so i'm not entirely sure why they played themselves out like that. i know i can't control the media much like i can't control the weather, but i just hope at some point girls start showing off their beauty on the inside before any guy gets a look at what's on the outside. 

{some of my most loved confident yet beautiful girls of the hour}

ladies, it's up to you... but if you want a guy that will respect you & like you for more than what he sees on the outside, choose confidence over the camel toe and wear something that shows off your beauty, inside & out! 

and as a little "get happy" to this beautiful weekend weather... and the fact i just heard that i will be an aunt any second now, here's one of my favorite songs at the moment!

"This" - Darius Rucker

what to make of... harem pants

i'll be the first to admit, since the start of this blog a majority of my posts have taken on more of a diary versus what i originally made this blog out to be about (but what does go the way it's supposed to). so in effort to make up for that, i bring you the great debate over a fashion statement that seems to be making quite a statement in the fashion world. 

people seem to see harem pants seem as a resemblance to a fancy cuisine (not literally, obviously). either you love it and can't have enough of it's unique style and fresh look it gives you or you absolute despise them and want back to your ordinary favorite. personally, though... i feel like it is a slice of each, it just depends on how you cut, or in literal terms, wear it. 

choose carefully. this is not your ordinary pair of levi's jeans. if you pick one that's too billowy, you may risk looking more like a disney character than a fashion forward girl. 

and if you are not six feet tall and actually have hips and a butt, be wary of the cut. the pant should be just loose enough in the crotch to resemble a harem pant, but also try to include some tailoring and pleating, so it has some control and gives your body shape, but in all the right places. 

{fletcher by lyell pant, $78 at urbanoutfitters.com}

to make yourself resemble less like mc hammer or aladdin, save this style for when you are up to wear the stilettos or some type of heel to give some height. if you don't, it has an odd way of cutting you two inches instead of adding a few. 

{alice + olivia, $253 at saks fifth avenue}

and if you want to look even more exceptional (as we all should), i suggest having the hem be several inches above the ankle. if you want to alternate between having a shorter and longer hem, get a pair that has a looser fit at the hemline in order to roll up or leave as is. that looser fit also provides for a more gradual, slimming look that makes you less boxy. 

all in all, if you play it right, you could turn out looking like a fashion superstar. but if one thing doesn't look quite as it should, you could end up looking a little bit more like mc hammer than you had originally  hoped. play around with it & have fun. like any tricky style, it may seem like an endless battle trying to find ones that work but once you find the right pair for you, it will be more than worth the hassle. 

all my best <3 

a new year, a ________ me

 whenever the clock strikes midnight on december 31st... a new year has begun and it allows us to click the refresh button in our lives, our bodies, our wardrobe, our attitude... what have you. like many of you, my resolutions for each year tend to be like any other, lose the holiday weight gain, be more sociable, be less sociable and work harder, etcetera, etcetera. 

this year however, i plan to do my resolutions not as a way to improve or better myself, but to simple enjoy myself. and with that in mind, i hope that i can make that time to really just do something enjoyable, by my standards, every day. 

a few examples have come to my mind.

{get back on that elliptical & get those endorphins running}

{start something i have never done before, possibly hot yoga or painting}

{be open minded}

{take more photos of nothing}

{love someone with all my heart}

{wear something i love everyday}

{learn that uggs are the enemy}

{accept my awkwardness & make something of it}

{learn that conquering the world isn't all that important}

{but being with loved ones is}

{take my mind off my phone & computer and into something way more valuable}

{put  60% of my effort into school,  40 % into all else}

{110% into love}

{be someone i can be proud of}  

{talk less, listen more, care equally} 

it's a hard list, but one of which that is in continuation from 2010 and the resolutions i make up for myself everyday. they don't have deadline, they aren't goals and they certainly aren't dreams either. they are just guidelines to keep my life in order when all else seems to be in complete disorder.

much love & peace